North Korea's Second Missile Launch In A Week Provokes International Outcry

North Korea test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile that traveled about 500 kilometers (310 miles) Sunday, just one week after a previous launch provoked international condemnation and threats of new sanctions from the United Nations. Pyongyang's state media said Monday the weapon was ready to be deployed for military action."Now that its tactical and technical data meet the requirements of the party, this type of missile should be rapidly mass-produced in a serial way to arm the KPA Strategic Force," leader Kim Jong Un said, referring to the state's army, the KCNA news agency reported.The US, South Korea and Japan have denounced the launch and jointly requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council set for Tuesday. KCNA said the test was to confirm the reliability of the late-stage guidance of the nuclear warhead and the functioning of the solid-fuel engine for the Pukguksong-2 missile fired from a mobile launcher.The Pukguksong-2 is a land-based version of Pyongyang's submarine-launched weapon, which uses solid-fuel, allowing for immediate firing.Courtesy:DW